REALTOR.com® Mobile

“REALTOR.com® Mobile” is a mobile device version of the REALTOR.com® Web site. With this, consumers can perform the search for real-estate listings from their mobile devices. Search features include search by city/state or zip code, search by MLS ID (i.e. ListingID) and also allows search criteria like number of beds, number of baths and price range. Application also supports a new search feature called “Homes Nearby”, which facilitates finding the listings in and around a specific location, like a radius of, say, five miles. This has been made possible by integrating this application with the GPS feature of the mobile devices (if one is available in the mobile handset). GPS systems these days come in-built in mobile handsets and can be used to calculate latitude/longitude of handset location.

REALTOR.com® has a free software application that allows consumers and REALTORS® to search for real-estate listings from their cell phone or PDA. Consumers can simply take a Windows Mobile-enabled cell phone or PDA, go to http://M.REALTOR.com, download and easily install the application and then begin their home search.

Because more and more people are using hand-held devices to access information on the road, REALTOR.com® Mobile allows home buyers and sellers to search for homes using standard criteria including city, state or zip codes, price range and number of bedrooms and bathrooms. For example, if a buyer drives through a neighborhood and sees a 'For Sale' sign, one click of a button delivers a photo with all of the property details of that home directly to the device. With another quick click, the buyers is connected with the listing agent or broker.

Other features includes plotting the listing address on the map, get the driving directions (powered by Microsoft MapPoint) to the listing, saving the searched listing on the device that can be used in offline mode, saving the search criteria’s, saving favorites address, used for getting driving directions from usual starting point like office address, residence address, etc.

Additional Details and Features

How Does It Work?
REALTOR.com® Mobile features an easy-to-use Home Page with several new search and save options. The 'Homes Near By' search feature expands search function by allowing the consumer to search for listings within a 10-mile range. Consumers and real estate agents can search property listings in a particular city/state combination or zip code, as well as by the number of beds, baths and price range. Favorite listings can also be stored in a Saved Items search folders for future reference and comparison.

Mapping & Driving Directions
REALTOR.com® Mobile offers maps and driving directions to each home for sale in the area. House hunters can therefore view the home on a map, get driving directions and plot the most convenient route for multiple homes, creating their own home tour. This feature allows house hunters to save information and access it online or off-line.

Which PDA Devices are Supported?
To use the 'Homes Nearby' feature, consumers need to be equipped with a GPS-enabled mobile device that runs Window Mobile OS. REALTOR.com Mobile support devices running Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, including HP hw6965, HP hw6925, Palm Treo 700w (or Palm Treo 700wx), AT&T 8525 , Cingular 8125, O2 Xda Stealth and Audiovox XV6700. If the user does not have a GPS-compatible phone, he or she can still use the service by entering general search criteria such as beds/bath/price.

Benefits

• By using GPS, the REALTOR.com® Mobile application helps consumers to perform real time searches using the "Homes Nearby" search. This helps consumers to reach out to any city or location and search for listings at their fingertips.
• Using maps and directions, consumers can easily get the navigational directions and the property listing locations.
• Consumers can save the properties information for offline view and can also use "frequently used" search criteria to perform the searches with very few clicks including the starting point, number of beds, price range, and so on.
• Consumers can more easily discover neighborhoods and homes and directly connect with a REALTOR®.
• The REALTOR® is visible throughout the new mobile offering. For example:
  • Listing enhancements are included so that the agent's contact information and branding is available on showcased listings.
  • Consumers can readily "click to call" to connect to the listing agent.

In sum, REALTOR.com® Mobile brings REALTOR® listings and brands to life online and on the road. Because the service offers the mobile features that consumers will seek out, real estate agents and brokers will continue to see their brands visibly showcased to better rise to the top of the local market.

Frequently Asked Questions About REALTOR.com Mobile (PDF: 5MB)